‘That’s Entertainment’ drag show raises over $12,000 for Leeds Center – Winchester Sun

On Saturday night, the Leeds Arts Center – as always – was the entertainment venue for Winchester and Clark counties.

The prestigious theater hosted Ms. Niagra Presents: That’s Entertainment, a drag show extravaganza raising money for Leeds.

All ticket sales, performer tips, and Venmo donations benefit the theater and its programming.

“I presented a check for $12,580.46,” said Winchester resident Brett Cheuvront.

Cheuvront — who also played Ms. Niagara Falls — was thrilled with the show’s turnout.

“It was a sold-out, sold-out show. There was so much support and love from everyone there. All the shows from the other drag queens were great,” Cheuvront said. “Several of my songs had backup dancers and people raved about them. I think it was a really great night for the whole community.”

Cheuvront opens with “That’s Entertainment” sung by the late great Judy Garland. Other featured acts on the show are Helena Handbasket, Miya Pinion and Poly Tics.

The show includes medleys of Dolly Parton songs, Liza Minelli’s “Cabaret” and more.

“It’s just a lot of classic songs,” Cheuvront said of the performance.

The show is the first of its kind to benefit the Leeds Centre, but Ms Niagra has performed on several occasions to benefit different causes in the area.

“The last time Niagra came on the market it was for the neutral clinic in Winchester,” Cheuvront said.

Helping charities is the origin of this character. Cheuvront said he thought of Ms. Niagra “25-30 years ago” and first brought her back to life to help raise money for Movable Feast, an organization that started out in Lexington to help with HIV/AIDS patient.

So who is Ms. Niagra?

“The way I see Ms. Niagra is that she’s just a very elegant old lady,” Cheuvront said. “The winters here are too harsh for her, so she lives in Boca Raton, Florida. She likes to lie by the pool and have her cabana boy wait on her.”

Choosing the Leeds Center as the beneficiary of the fundraising event was a breeze for Cheuvront.

“During COVID, when everything had to shut down, they couldn’t get through their season, so they lost a lot of money because of it,” Cheuvront said.

In Cheuvront’s view, ensuring Leeds has enough money is vital to the community.

“Leeds is very important to this community. It provides a safe space for everyone, regardless of their colour, religion or sexual orientation,” he explained. “I think if I could go back to Leeds United when I was younger, then I would feel a lot better when I grew up.”

The theater also offers audiences a safe place to experience the drag show, which has come under fire in recent months.

Kentucky Senate Bill 115, which passed the Senate earlier this month, would prohibit drag shows from taking place within 1,000 feet of any place children may be in establishments, such as homes, churches or schools. The legislation classifies drag shows as adult entertainment, along with strip clubs, adult stores and movie theaters for those over 18.

A pair of protesters demonstrated against the show in Winchester, with one holding a sign suggesting the show was perverted.

Cheuvront said the show and others like it were “just entertainment” and that men have been playing women on stage for centuries.

“Men have been playing female roles since Shakespeare,” he said.

The legislation has yet to be voted on in the House of Representatives.

Regardless, there’s still a chance she’ll be at Winchester again, though Cheuvront says he’s retired Ms Niagra so many times that he’s become “the Tom Brady of drag queens.”

“Never say never,” he said.